Joseph Peter Bacewicz, Sr.

United States army 1941-1945

World War II

technical sergeant

Asiatic Pacific Theater campaign ribbon with one service star

american defense service medal

good conduct medal

Joe Bacewicz was an outstanding automobile mechanic before the war and like many young Americans, as the war seemed to become more evident, he enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard in 1940. Because of his experience, he was assigned to the motor pool division and quickly moved through the ranks to Technical Sergeant.

The Connecticut Army National Guard was one of the first units called to active duty in February 1941. After Pearl Harbor, his unit went through intense training and prepared for transport to the South Pacific. The unit arrived in the Northern Solomons in October of 1942 and served as primary support for military campaigns throughout the South Pacific. They finally returned home in January 1944. He received the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon with one Service Star, a Good Conduct Medal, and an American Defense Service Medal for his service.

In 1947, Joe married Virginia Petraitis and they had 6 children. The family moved to Enfield from Hartford in 1955.

While living in Enfield, he was an active member of the John Maciolek Post 154 of the American Legion, as well as the Washington Irving Council of the Knights of Columbus through St. Patrick’s Church in Thompsonville.

In the early 1950’s, he left his career as an auto mechanic to join the Hamilton Standard Division of United Technologies to become a technician in their mechanical and systems testing laboratories. He worked at Hamilton Standard for over 25 years and passed away at his job in 1977.